Lindos on Rhodes Island

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A visit to Lindos is a gratifying experience for the place combine ancient and medieval monuments with a living village that has not changed since the era of the Knights.

Lindos began to develop soon after the Dorian conquest but reached her prime in the 6th century under Cleovoulos, a great stateman, a descendant of an ancient royal house, and one of the seven sages of antiquity.

The main ancient and medieval monuments of Lindos are on the acropolis, a giant cliff descending steeply to the sea, and include the sanctuary of the Lindian Athena, whose worship seems to have replace the cult of an earlier feminine deity.

On the first plateau reached on the way up to the steps to the acropolis, there is on the left-hand side the famous ship engraved in the rock, that served as a pedestal to the statue of some Rhodian notable.

On the plateau of the acropolis itself, ancient and medieval monuments stand side by side. First, the Knight's Government House, an elegant, striking building, and next to it the ruins of St. John's Byzantine Church.

The large stoa that comes immediately into sight, commands the attention. With an overall breadth of 88 m, it covers the plateau almost from end to end, and is a perfect example of Hellenistic experimentation in the use of space.

The stoa is of the Doric style, accessible through a broad central staircase, with protruding wings at both extremities; behind the 8 central columns, there is another broad staircase leading to the propylaeum, which consists of a wall with 5 openings, sorrounded by porticoes and several closed rooms.

At the far end behind the propylaeum is the temple of Athena; it is the Doric style, with 4 columns at the front and rear, and measures 22,40m in length. The temple dates from the 4th century and is believed to be a coly of an earlier temple that stood on the same spot.